A claim presented by the defendant in opposition to the claim of the plaintiff. Counterclaims may be filed by the defendant against a Plaintiff, but are not required. See, Rahman v. Matador Villa Assoc., 821 S.W.2d 102 (Mo. en banc. 1991), Becker Glove Intern., Inc. v. Jack Dubinsky & Sons, 41 S.W.3d 885 (Mo. en banc. 2001).